PMD: Falling Darkness, Rising Light
by Heart of PureSilver
Summary: After Palkia's attack on him in the dimensional hole, Darkrai is stripped of everything he once was. Through an ironic twist of fate, he is found and accepted by the very duo he tried to destroy. Of all things to expect as an amnesiac, becoming the official third member of an Exploration Team wasn't what he had in mind. He'll soon realize that nothing is ever simple with these two.
1. From the End Comes a New Beginning

Pain.

That was the first thing to register in his mind. The agony that raked across his body was nearly unbearable, causing him to convulse in place. It felt like his entire body had been scorched by a Houndoom. He groaned as even the tiniest of movements sent waves of stinging pain through his every nerve.

" _What…happened?_ " he wondered. " _Why does everything hurt so much…?_ "

He thought back, trying to figure out what had caused him so much discomfort. Oddly enough, he could not place how he ended up in such a state or why. Perplexed as to why his memory was failing him, he concentrated deeply. Delving into the deepest recesses of his mind gave no possible answers as to what happened.

There was nothing there.

His heart skipped a beat as uncertainty began to seep through his being. He couldn't remember anything; nothing about who he was and he wouldn't find out anytime soon either. The piercing agony that ripped through his head seemed to be getting worse, making it hard for him to think much less move. He was vaguely aware of something wet lapping at the lower half of his body.

At least he had a body and he existed. He was alive. That was enough for him at the moment. His mind slowly went black as it was welcomed back into confines of sleep.

* * *

"Hana! Hurry it up! We're gonna be late!"

"Shizuka, I can't run as fast as you! Wait up!"

The Riolu huffed as she tapped her foot, waiting for her friend to catch up to her. When the Chikorita finally caught up to her, she collapsed in exhaustion.

"I...can't…run…any…more…" Hana panted out. "My legs are still sore…from hiking all the way back to the Guild…from Fogbound Lake. To be forced…to move some more after that long trip…it's tiring."

"Sorry, Hana," Shizuka apologized, looking sheepish. "It's just…I know how much you like the sight and…it's important to the beginning of Team Hikari. I just didn't want you to miss it."

"It's alright," Hana said, stretching her legs before she stood back up. "Okay, I'm better now. Let's go, ya Slowpoke! If we miss it, I'll dunk you headfirst into the ocean!"

Shizuka smiled at her friend as the Chikorita darted ahead with a newfound energy, leaving her friend in her dust even though she had been the one lagging behind earlier. The two Pokémon had just recently returned from their Guild expedition to the mysterious Fogbound Lake. Things had been rough at the start. The notorious Team Skull had messed with their mission to Apple Woods to gather some Perfect Apples for the Guildmaster, causing them to lose significant credibility as an Exploration Team and thus harming their chances of being picked as expedition members. Shizuka never wanted to experience _that_ again. They tried their best on their subsequent missions afterwards, but were not picked to go on the trip when the fateful day came.

But their awesome Guildmaster, Wigglytuff, had decided that it'd be more fun if the entire guild went together and they were able to go. Chatot had a bit of a fit when he found out, but he calmed down in the end. He wouldn't dare disobey the Guildmaster. The fact that the parrot Pokémon trusted those stinky scumbags at all burned away at Shizuka. Why was he so trusting of those guys in the first place? Shizuka and Hana had been with the Guild way longer than Team Skull. How could he believe the words of some random group that suddenly appeared one day over Team Hikari?

Thankfully, she hadn't seen them since the Groudon Statue incident with Wigglytuff back at the Lake. She hoped it would stay that way. If they ever showed their faces to Team Hikari again, Hana was going to find a way to sneak crushed Tamato Berries into their food. If not, Shizuka would personally teach them not to get on the bad side of a Fighting-Type. The Guild had met the guardian of Fogbound Lake, Uxie, and had discovered a Time Gear which rested at the center of the lake. Shizuka was still puzzled as to why her pulse seemed to speed up once she set her eyes on the mysterious object.

Wigglytuff had sworn on the Guild's name that no one would speak a word about what they found during their expedition. There had been rumors that someone was stealing the sacred Time Gears, so everyone wanted to be sure to keep Uxie's Time Gear safe. After a long trip back, the Guild had returned home to Treasure Town. It was nice to be home again after being away for so long. Shizuka and Hana were nearing Treasure Town's beach in an effort to see the Krabby blow bubbles at sunset. It was a commemorative sight, signaling the beginning of Shizuka and Hana's Exploration Team as well as their friendship. Shizuka suggested that it was appropriate to see it once again to honor their first expedition together.

The Riolu let out a contented sigh as she sat on the soft sand of the beach. Hana crawled her way next to her, lying down as the bubbles began to float across the sky. The two Pokémon's eyes glistened as they watched the bubbles catch the sun's rays, reflecting rainbows across their surfaces. This light complemented the rosy pink sky and the sapphire blue sea, creating perfect harmony at that moment in time.

"I'll never get tired watching this. It's always a beautiful sight to see," Hana said, her eyes following a bubble that floated nearby. The bubble popped in front of her face, causing the Chikorita to giggle. She then blinked when she caught an off color in the distance. "Hey, what's that?"

Perking up at her friend's words, Shizuka redirected her gaze from the sea to the black something that her friend was pointing at. Curiosity getting the better of her, the Riolu stood up and made her way towards the black object. Hana followed, unsure of what the thing was but was curious enough to _want_ to know what it was. As they got closer, the details to the figure became more pronounced. Hana let out a small sound of fright as she looked over the figure. Shizuka, oblivious to her partner's fear, got a little closer to it.

It was a Pokémon…at least, that's what she thought it was. It was a couple feet longer than her entire body. Its figure was oddly shaped to her; its upper and lower half was connected by its thin midsection. Black tendrils were connected to its shoulders; the one on its lower half almost looked like a tail. The white substance that was connected to its head looked like hair. It sharply contrasted with the ring of red triangles surrounding its head. They reminded Shizuka of bloody teeth. Whatever it was, the Pokémon was unconscious and had apparently been through something terrible. The wounds she saw did not look good whatsoever. It didn't even react to the ocean waves lapping at its battered body.

A stick entered Shizuka's field of vision, poking the unresponsive form. Shizuka placed her paws on her hips, giving Hana an incredulous look.

"Really, Hana?" she deadpanned. " _Really_?"

"Hey! Can you blame me?" Hana retorted, still poking the Pokémon with her stick. "I don't trust whatever this… _thing_ is. It looks weird. What if it's an outlaw? If it is, we'll have to take it in to Officer Magnezone immediately."

"Hana, relax. Whatever it is, it's hurt. We made an oath as Exploration Team Hikari to help Pokémon in need. Rule number one of the guild: don't shirk work! What kind of Pokémon would we be if we turned over an innocent bystander?"

Hana pouted. "Well…yeah. But I really don't think this is such a good idea."

"No need to worry! What could possibly go wrong?"

"Ugh…"

Both Shizuka and Hana stiffened at the deep voice that had come from the black figure. A piercing icy-blue eye hesitantly opened, the single white pupil focusing on the two Pokémon. The black figure painfully pushed itself up with its clawed hands, turning to look at them. Hana hid behind Rilou, her suspicious glare never wavering. Shizuka gulped, placed between a rock and a hard place. Taking a shaky breath, she waved at the Pokémon.

"Um…hidey-ho, newcomer?" Shizuka awkwardly greeted. "Are you alright? We found you lying here on the beach…and…well, we were worried."

"Who are you?" the Pokémon demanded, his tone sounding angry and confused. "Where is this?"

"Watch it, buster!" Hana snapped, getting in front of Shizuka. "Don't get an attitude! I don't like it when I get Pokémon like you who think they're so much better than the rest of us. Skuntank and his goons were bad enough. I don't need to deal with another jerk like that!"

"Hana, calm down," Shizuka pleaded, placing her paw on her friend's leaf. Hana backed down, still scowling at the black Pokémon before her. "I apologize for her rudeness. That's just how she is. Do you mind telling us who you are and what happened to you?"

"I…" He placed his hand to his head, wincing in pain. "I don't know…"

Shizuka blinked in surprise. "You don't know who you are?"

He shook his head. "I can't remember anything."

"Well, this is déjà vu to the max! Wouldn't you say so, Shizuka?" Hana declared, nudging her friend with the leaf on her head. "Same issue, same beach. It's like a sign or something!"

"Maybe. I suppose so," the Riolu replied, giving the black Pokémon a smile. "Well, what can you remember? Anyone you know? Does this place look familiar to you? Anything at all?"

The resulting silence gave Shizuka her answers. The stranger glared at the ground, frustration and despair evident in his eyes. He was a lost soul, just like Shizuka was once upon a time. The Riolu could understand exactly what the Pokémon was going through. She didn't know what she would have done if Hana didn't find her. Who would believe her words that she was once a human? Hana accepted her story, believing her despite the evidence proving otherwise. Shizuka felt a resolve to help this Pokémon, just as Hana did for her.

"Don't worry! We'll help you out!"

"WHAT!?" Hana shrieked. "B-b-b-b-b-b-but, Shizuka! We don't know who he is! Look at him! He's freaky-looking! What if he's a dangerous outlaw!? We could be putting everyone in Treasure Town in danger!"

"Hana, I want to help him," Shizuka explained. "I know exactly what if feels like to not have anything familiar to cling onto and thrust into a world so different than what I'm used to."

"Shizuka…"

"Please, Hana? He has nowhere to go. Who else will be willing to help him? We can't just leave him here. What about our oath?"

"Oh…" the Chikorita moaned. "Alright. You win. It doesn't mean I'm going to like it though…"

"Thank you, Hana!" Shizuka cheered as she hugged her friend.

"Easy on the hugging! Easy! You're gonna choke me!"

"Right. Fighting-Type. Don't know my own strength sometimes," the Riolu laughed before turning to the mystery Pokémon. "Anyway, you don't remember your name?"

He shook his head. "I told you earlier that I could not recall anything; not even my own name."

"Would you like me to give you one?"

There was a short pause. "I would appreciate it."

The Riolu put a paw to her chin. "Okay, let's see…"

"You always come up with great names, Shizuka. They sound so pretty and majestic!" commented Hana. "Can you name him something that means 'jerk'? Because that's what he's turning out to be."

"How about…Satoru?"

He tilted his head slightly. "Satoru?"

Shizuka nodded. "It means a lot of things, but the meaning I chose is 'daybreak'. Do you like it?"

"He's as far from 'daybreak' as I am from a Slugma…" Hana deadpanned.

"…I suppose I can live with it," the newly named Satoru answered.

"It's nice to meet you, Satoru," Shizuka replied, now able to give the guy a proper greeting. "I'm Shizuka and this is my partner and best friend, Hana. But, I guess you already knew that from our arguing."

"Partner?"

"Yeah," Hana confirmed. "We work together. We're an Exploration Team."

"Exploration Team?"

"We do all sorts of things! It's literally the best job in the history of forever!" the excited Chikorita explained. "We take on jobs to help Pokémon in need, explore new places to reveal Mystery Dungeons, and we make wonderful friends along the way!"

Satoru still seemed to be in the dark judging from the befuddled look on his face. Hana frowned. He must've hit his head _really_ hard if he didn't know what an Exploration Team was. Then again, Shizuka was the same way. She was a human, so it was only natural for her to not know what a Pokemon-only group like that was. The realization then dawned upon her.

"Hey, Satoru? Any chance you were a human before you lost your memories?"

"Human?" the Pokémon incredulously repeated. "No. I'm not a human. I know that much at least. Why would you ask something so farfetched?"

"Oh, no reason," Hana nervously answered. "Just curious."

He didn't seem satisfied with her answer. Hana had a feeling he'd be inquiring about that as soon as he was able to. There was no need to blow Shizuka's cover just yet. Not even the Guild members knew the Riolu was really a human. The poor girl felt like she needed some more time to find the right moment to tell everyone. Shizuka was always shy around people, constantly wondering if they'd treat her differently because she was once a human. Her concerns were especially focused on a certain someone at the Guild. Hana giggled, remembering the last time he interacted with Shizuka. The poor Riolu tripped over her words as much as she tripped over her own feet in front of him. And he had _no_ idea.

"So whatcha gonna do now, Satoru?" Shizuka asked.

"…I have no idea," he answered. "I don't even know where to go from here."

"You could wander the world, discovering stuff for yourself?" Hana suggested. "Some explorers do that when they leave the Guild. It's an enlightening experience, or so I've heard."

He shook his head. "What's there to discover when there's nothing there to begin with?"

"Good point…"

"I've got it!" Shizuka announced. "Let's take him with us on our next mission!"

"You mean have him join our team!?" squeaked Hana. "Have you lost it!?"

"Not permanently. Only for a bit. Maybe while we're exploring, he can discover who he was and where he came from. It just might spark his memory!"

"I don't know about this…"

The Riolu turned to the amnesiac. "Satoru? What do you think? Would you like to see what we do?"

The mystery Pokémon crossed his arms and hummed. He appeared to be thinking over the offer, weighing the pros and cons.

"Considering I don't have much of a choice in my condition…" he growled. "I suppose I'll accept your petty offer."

"Who are you calling 'petty'!?" Hana retorted as Shizuka held the Chikorita back to prevent her from Tackling the guy where it hurt. "I don't care who you think you are; no one insults Team Hikari in front of me!"

"Are you sure this one isn't a Fire-Type in disguise? Her temper flares like one," he coolly responded, watching as Hana struggled against Shizuka's grip.

"You better watch out, buster," Hana warned, an evil glint shining in her reddish-pink eyes. "You're on my hit list now…"

"Eheheheheh…" Shizuka laughed nervously. "Can we at least _try_ to get along?"

Hana huffed, her chin held up high as she turned away from Satoru. Shizuka sweatdropped. She had a feeling this was only the beginning of troubles yet to come. After all, she'd have to talk to the Guildmaster and Chatot to see if bringing Satoru along was acceptable since he wasn't an official member of Team Hikari. She had hope that Hana could eventually get along with Satoru. It'd just take some time.

Precious time that would soon be running out.

* * *

 **This is what happens when your muse hops around fandoms too much. This was actually a plot-bunny I started writing a year ago, but it never took off. THEN THE POKÉMON MOVIE MARATHON HAPPENED! I watched Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, The Rise of Darkrai, and Arceus and the Jewel of Life recently. That's when I remembered this plot-bunny was still sitting around. Then my muse started working on it again and the rest is history. Once again, my wonderful friend kitsunelover300 will be my lovely co-author. We have interesting stuff planned for this one. Hope you like this different spin on a PMD Darkrai redemption story!**


	2. A New Face

"What…IS that?"

"Yeah, I was thinking along the same lines when I first came here," Hana commented, looking at the bright visage of the entrance to Wigglytuff's Guild. "While it makes it obvious whose Guild it is, it's kinda…excessive. It's also kinda creepy. Even now, I still feel like the eyes follow me!"

Satoru felt a sweatdrop bead down his head as he stared at the entrance. For once, he could agree with the Chikorita. According to Hana, Wigglytuff's Guild was world-renowned for churning out excellent Exploration Teams. It was also well-known because Wigglytuff himself was a famous explorer. He honestly didn't know what to expect when he was to meet the guy. Shizuka had gotten the okay that they could bring along someone to a Mystery Dungeon when doing their jobs. It was similar enough to a type of job they did on a daily basis when certain civilians simply wanted to explore while staying safe from the wild Pokémon in those areas. However, there was a catch. Chatot seemed suspicious of whoever it was Shizuka had planned on bringing due to the anxiety she showed when she asked for permission. The girl was too shy for her own good. This was one of the problems that resulted from her insecurity.

"Well, let's just rip the bandage off to get it done and over with," Hana said as she walked over the grate in front of the door. "No point in stalling the inevitable."

"Pokémon detected! Pokémon detected!"

"YAH!" the Chikorita shrieked over the confirmation of her footprint. "Dang it! That gets me every time! You'd think I'd be used to it by now."

"You may ENTER!" a different, much louder voice yelled. "Someone's with you! Get the stranger to stand up THERE!"

Hana moved away, looking pointedly at Satoru. Satoru looked down, feeling rather stupid for having to do it. He hovered over the grate, allowing his normally hidden feet to be revealed. Hana jolted at the sudden appearance of his apparently missing appendages. She stared in awe at the thin sticks that were his legs, still hovering slightly above the grate.

"Pokemon detected! Pokemon detected!"

"Whose footprint? Whose footprint?"

"The footprint is…Um…The footprint is…"

"Yo, Diglett! What's the matter THIS time!?"

"The footprint is… _I don't know_!"

"WHAT!? How can you NOT know a footprint!? That's your JOB!"

"This is different! I've never seen this footprint before!"

If Satoru hadn't felt self-conscious enough, he definitely felt it now. He didn't know who or what he was and hearing it confirmed aloud simply drove that fact into his mind even more. He felt worried when he heard another squawking voice join the confused rabble down below. He guiltily looked at Hana, feeling bad since he was the cause of the commotion. No doubt he'd get an equally bad reception if he was even allowed to enter the Guild.

"Hana!" the squawking one shouted. "Is this the one Shizuka was talking about?"

Satoru looked down when he heard the distinct voice again. Hana looked down the grate as well, biting her lip in anticipation.

"Yeah!" Hana replied. "Sorry for the trouble, Chatot!"

"Alright! Let them in! I expect a full explanation when you're inside!"

Hana sighed, looking troubled. Satoru wasn't looking forward to meeting this "Chatot". He had a feeling that meeting Chatot would be worse than Wigglytuff. The creaky gate opened, the dark inside of the Guild beckoning the two Pokémon forward. Hana urged him onward with her leaf, taking the lead to show him inside. He spotted a ladder leading underground. Hana climbed down the ladder while Satoru floated after her. He didn't see a single soul as they descended. By the time they reached the second floor, he spotted a familiar face. Shizuka was pacing in front of a door, looking tense. She relaxed slightly when she saw the two come over toward her.

"Well, that could've been worse," Shizuka giggled. "At least you got in. Though I've never seen Chatot this ruffled before."

"Is he a big poofball?" Hana inquired, a giddy smile gracing her features.

"He was when he was yelling at Loudred and Diglett. Then he settled down, so you just missed it."

"Dang…I wanted to see how fluffy he was."

"Anyway," Shizuka turned towards Satoru. "Just relax and be yourself, Satoru. The Guildmaster isn't as scary as you think he is. He's only scary when he's…err…"

Satoru blinked. "When he's what?"

"Never mind!" the Riolu quickly replied as she knocked on the door. "Guildmaster! Chatot! It's Team Hikari. May we enter?"

"Come in!" came the squawking voice from before.

The door opened, allowing the three Pokémon inside. Satoru took a deep breath, steeling himself for whatever may await him beyond the entryway. He hovered inside, spotting two other occupants. The bird gave him one look before he let out a few more screeches, flapping his wings frantically.

"H-h-h-h-h-how!?" Chatot practically screamed at Shizuka and Hana.

"How what?" Hana asked, curious as to why Chatot was so frazzled. "This is the one Shizuka was talking about."

"You mean to tell me that a Legendary Pokémon simply washed up on the beach, unable to remember anything about who he is, and then asked if he could see what an Exploration Team was!?"

Hana and Shizuka balked, simultaneously giving each other equally shocked looks. "Legendary!?"

"Legendary?" Satoru repeated, intrigued by the word and the fact that Chatot seemed to know something he didn't. "You mean you know who I am?"

Chatot gave Satoru a pitiful look. "You truly do not remember anything about yourself or where you came from?"

"Didn't the Riolu already tell you that much?"

"Yes, I have heard. However, I did not know that the victim would be the god of nightmares himself."

"God…of nightmares?"

Chatot nodded. "You are a unique Pokémon, one that many of us fear because of the gruesome power you possess. You are part of the Lunar duo that keeps the balance of the dream world. You are Darkrai, the Pitch-Black Pokémon."

Darkrai. The name had a distinct and familiar ring to it. It felt…right. He was Darkrai. Darkrai was him. He felt a sense of ease overcome him, now knowing what he was. But what did "Darkrai" mean to him? It was just a name; a name he had no knowledge of or the harsh implications behind it.

"Well, that's one mystery solved," Hana pointed out. "But why did you call him the 'god of nightmares'? Is he a bad Pokémon?"

"Many would tend to believe that," Chatot continued. "He possesses a special ability that gives sleeping Pokémon bad dreams. Since we all hate nightmares, it is only natural we should hate someone who brings them. That is why we praise the light that his counterpart, Cresselia, brings with her. She dispels the nightmares with her incredible psychic powers."

"So…I am hated simply because of what I am?" Satoru summarized, sounding entirely dejected after learning this.

"Sadly, yes. However, it is said that this ability is merely a defense mechanism and that a Darkrai never means any true harm. That is why Darkrai are never seen. It wishes to be secluded so that it can protect other Pokémon and prevent them from experiencing its frightening ability. It is a misunderstood Pokémon. To think I would have the honor of meeting one in my lifetime…"

"Not much of an honor if I'm despised by everyone. Maybe that's why I ended up on that beach; maybe someone wanted me gone and they left me to die…"

"Oh, Satoru…" Shizuka trailed off, feeling nothing but sympathy for the Darkrai.

"Nonsense!"

Everyone was startled by the happy-go-lucky voice that permeated the tense atmosphere. Satoru nearly jumped when the other occupant in the room suddenly turned around. This was Wigglytuff and Satoru was finally having the honor of witnessing the big heart of the legendary explorer.

"You may be a bringer of nightmares, but nightmares are just a part of life," Wigglytuff explained. "Every light must have a darkness that compliments it. Without that balance, we wouldn't have the wonderful world we live in now. So don't feel blue, Satoru! You have a wonderful chance to make a name for yourself and for Darkrai everywhere. You can show Pokémon everywhere that you're just like everyone else and that there's nothing to be afraid of."

"…You truly believe that, Wigglytuff?" asked the unsure Darkrai.

"Of course I do!" Wigglytuff happily cheered. "Right from the moment you entered this room, I could tell you were a good Pokémon. Just because everyone believes you act in a certain way, that doesn't mean it's true. Shizuka and Hana chose to believe in you, so I choose to believe in you too. Only you can decide what to do with the knowledge you have learned today."

Darkrai simply floated there, a contemplative look in his eyes. These Pokémon were sympathetic; foolishly so. But that was what made them merciful, trusting him despite his fearsome appearance and frightening abilities. He eyed the two that found him. They both had smiles on their faces. It was as if they knew what he was thinking and preparing the jump to the scene as soon as he said the words. If they could see behind his red ring, they would've seen the faintest of smiles grace his features.

"Don't look at me like that. I don't want to be pitied."

"But—"

"I mean it," he stated, looking pointedly at the Riolu. "Or do I appear so weak that I need children like you to look after me?"

"You…!" Hana snarled, preparing to Tackle the Darkrai if he said another insulting sentence to her friend.

"If that's the case, I suppose I'll need to prove myself to you."

Hana and Shizuka blinked simultaneously. "Huh?"

"You accepted me…took me in despite every instinct telling you not to," he explained, a somber air filling the room. "If it weren't for you, I'd be wandering the world completely lost. I want to repay that debt in any way that I can."

"Satoru, you don't need to repay us!" Shizuka replied. "We're just happy we were able to be of some help to you."

"I beg to differ…" Hana muttered before receiving a harsh jab from Shizuka.

"Shizuka and Hana, right? If it's not an inconvenience, may I join your Exploration Team?"

"HUH-WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?" Hana shrieked.

"To be honest…I'm not sure where to go from here and I don't think a simple tag-along job will give me a good idea of what it is you do. I want to know why you have such passionate zest for this occupation. The only way to do that is to experience everything for myself."

"Well…" Shizuka paused. "I'd be more than happy to let you join. I don't know about Hana though."

"Absolutely not!" Hana shouted. "We _can't_ have a Legendary on our team. It wouldn't be right to take advantage of him. I mean, if we should have a third official member, shouldn't it be someone more on our level?"

"But he has nowhere to go. It wouldn't be right to just turn him away."

"I know, but still…I don't want it to seem like he doesn't have a choice simply because he thinks he owes us for helping him."

"Come on, Hana. Have some faith! This could be the beginning of something amazing! Think about your Relic Fragment. Think about me! Maybe we can discover something we wouldn't be able to on our own if Satoru joins us! Those secrets are just waiting to be unraveled and we can discover them _together_. Wouldn't that be fun?"

"That's the spirit!" Wigglytuff gleefully agreed. "Something great is always born when friends are made. It makes mysteries that much more fun to solve when you have friends there to cheer you on! Just thinking about the incredible things any Exploration Team can do when working together makes me so excited that I could burst!"

Hana giggled. "Well, I guess I'm overruled. I can't argue with you, Shizuka; nor can I argue with the Guildmaster when he gets super happy like this."

"You hear that, Satoru? You're in!" Shizuka cheered.

The Darkrai merely nodded. The sputtered squawking of Chatot soon broke the jolly atmosphere, causing everyone to look at the panicking bird. Chatot rushed up to the Guildmaster, wings flying in a frenzy.

"Guildmaster! You can't be serious!" Chatot shouted. "Are you absolutely sure such measures should be taken? We could simply try and look around to help return Darkrai to his home."

"Chatot, don't be silly! This is Satoru's choice, not mine," Wigglytuff responded. "We should be happy that another member is being added to the Guild and on one of our best Exploration Teams too! There's no reason to go against a friend's wishes."

Chatot nodded in understanding. "Very well, Guildmaster. I haven't doubted your judgment once in all the years that I've known you and I'm not going to start now. I suppose I should set up accommodations immediately."

"Accommodations? For what?" Satoru asked.

"Well, since Team Hikari is still in training, you will be sharing a room with them in the Guild. An extra bed is needed since they only have two in there right now and we don't have any more room in the male dormitory."

"Sharing…? With _girls_ …?"

Hana glared at Satoru. "Is that an issue?"

"No…" The Darkrai unsurely replied, hiding his blush fairly well. "It's fine."

"YOOM…TAH!" Wigglytuff announced as he hopped into the air. "Alright, I have registered Satoru as a new Guild member and new addition to Exploration Team Hikari. I'm looking forward to your future exploits. So, as always, do your best to train!"

"Alright! Let's do our best!" Shizuka yelled, fist pumping the air along with Hana. Satoru watched with unease, silently telling himself he wouldn't lower himself to doing such trivial actions after something of importance happened. Something told him he wouldn't be so lucky.

* * *

The next morning…

" **HEY!** **GET UP!** **RISE AND SHINE!** "

"Oh, Arceus! My EARS!"

"Dang it, Loudred! We're already up! No need to blast our eardrums every morning! Sheesh!"

He felt his head pounding and his ears throbbing. His eyes had turned into swirls, not used to being awoken so suddenly like that. The proclaimed alarm clock huffed in annoyance before moving on, going to wait in the common area with the rest of the Guild members. He hadn't noticed the new addition since Satoru had slept as a shadow on the floor since there was still no bed for him by the time night fell. He poked his head through the ground, light streaming in through the window and making him shut his eyes again. Hana let out a shriek, not expecting Satoru's head to simply phase out of the ground like that.

"How can you do that?" she immediately questioned. "I thought only Ghost-Types could go through walls and floors."

"You learn something new every day…" was his only answer, still waiting for the ringing in his ears to stop.

"Sorry, Satoru. We forgot to warn you about Loudred," Shizuka apologized. "He's…loud."

"Way to state the obvious," he muttered, rubbing his eyes as he attempted to wake up. "Do you honestly wake up to that _every_ morning?"

"Pretty much," both girls replied.

"Of _course_ …" the Darkrai groaned.

"Don't worry. You'll get used to it."

"Not looking forward to getting used to it."

"Come on, guys! We're going to be late to the morning briefing!" Hana cried, zooming ahead of her two team members.

Shizuka nodded before motioning the Darkrai to follow. He slowly hovered behind her, feeling apprehension bubble in the pit of his stomach. He could only imagine how the other members would react when they saw him. The three eventually made it to the common area and Satoru immediately felt all eyes boring into him. He cast his eyes down, self-conscious of his frightening appearance. Shizuka took hold of his hand, giving it a comforting squeeze before she led him into the line.

"Alright, alright!" Chatot started, trying to bring everyone's attention back to the front after noticing Darkrai's unease. "I'm sure you're all interested in the new addition to our Guild, but it's not polite to stare. You're making him nervous."

"Hey, hey! He's a member?" Corphish blurted out in confusion. "Since when?"

"Since last night," Chatot answered. "Everyone, this is Satoru; a Darkrai. He is a new member of Team Hikari. I expect you all to give our new member a welcoming cheer after today's briefing."

"Darkrai? As in…THE Darkrai?" Dugtrio asked. "The Legendary Pokémon that delights in giving us nightmares?"

Bidoof paled. "N-n-n-nightmares!? Oof…"

"Isn't he a bad Pokémon?"

"But if he's on Team Hikari, they must trust him. Then he's gotta be a good Pokémon!"

"I don't know. You gotta wonder about those two sometimes."

"HEY!" Shizuka and Hana snapped.

"Order! ORDER!" Chatot yelled. "Yes, he is the Legendary Pokemon that causes nightmares. But do not let that fact overrule your judgment. He is by no means the monster that texts make him out to be. In fact, the Guildmaster himself has placed his full trust in Satoru."

There was a brief silence before Diglett spoke up. "Well, if the Guildmaster trusts him, I trust him too!"

"I agree!" Sunflora cheerfully added. "We shouldn't judge him before we've even gotten to know him."

"There we go! That's the right attitude!" Chatot sang, his tail wagging in happiness. "Now, down to business. As you all know, there has been a theft of Time Gears all over the region. Please do your best to keep your promise to Uxie. That is all."

"We KNOW!" Loudred growled. "We aren't STUPID!"

Chatot ignored Loudred, turning towards the Guildmaster's room. "Guildmaster! Please address the crew."

On cue, Wigglytuff walked out. He stared at everyone. Everyone waited for the Guildmaster to put in his two cents or express his happiness to the rest of them, but nothing came. Curious, Chatot stood in front of Wigglytuff to find out why Wigglytuff wasn't saying anything. Chatot sighed when he heard a small snore.

"Zzz…zzz….snorfle…zzz…"

Satoru felt a sweatdrop bead down his head. "Is he…sleeping? With his eyes wide open?"

"Not again!" Hana sighed. "How does he DO that?"

"GUILDMASTER!" Chatot shouted. "GUILDMASTER!"

"Whuzzat?" Wigglytuff mumbled. "Chatot!"

Chatot perked up. "Yes, Guildmaster?"

"Everyone, please be nice to our new friend Satoru! Let's do our best to make him feel comfortable in his new home. YOOM…TAH!"

Everyone stared at the Guildmaster, all amazed by his quick recovery in order to hide the fact he had been sleeping. Satoru remained silent as the rest of the members went through their morning cheer, reciting the three rules of the Guild before striking a victory pose. The Darkrai was beginning to wonder if he'd be forced to do the same as soon as he became accustomed to the way things worked. But the more important question was this: what were these Time Gears Chatot spoke of? Why were they important? Who was Uxie? More questions without answers popped up the more he contemplated those two sentences. He looked at Shizuka and Hana, seeing them motion him to follow after them. He took a deep breath, ready for whatever awaited him on his first day.


End file.
